Telegram-herald., 1887-09-10
A GLIMPSE BACKWARD.
f,snsssioas oa ths > 4tioa2I Capitol Twenty
Years ago.


Washington has grown from infancy 10
man hood withia the last p years The
father Of bis country. after whom the city
wss named. never lsaped from the swad-
ding clothes into a continental uniform
with greater gspidity. IL was my pleasure
70 largely occupy our Capitol during the
years Is67-8. was fresh from the Petrol
cum regions. and flash Al Jay Cook & Co.'S
great banking house. Jay and 1 lived high
At that time so bad plenty Of leisure and
Opporsunilies for observation In short, the
whole city was thrown open to me, from
tue White House down 10 the old Canter-
berry. and fully embracing the precinct
where Grant and the rest ofus used to pay
our fines for fast driving.
A great many noble men have
died since those Jolly dsys-nearly
all tho then leaders of the people
and rulers OF the Government A new
crew mans the old Ship OF State. IL seems
ike miracle. so great IS the metamorpho-
sis-a whole generation Of statesmen hsy-
ing passed away. And they were among
| the great men Of the age, IN the Hover OF
seemed 20 wholly ignore the approach OF
/ the old tyrant with the sickle, but were
| nevertheless cut down IN their glOry-eyen
while running for Office or loaning money
at 10 per cent. for a long term of years.
| Aady Johnson. halS dogmatic and
| bioulous, was then President and being en-
| thusiasticaliy impeacned; while rough. old
| Ben Wade, noble and plucky, was presiding
| over the Senate. Johnson's hair was not
4 ~ a.. ha
| VIZ Both men, the one shaking hands at
bis popular White House receptions or
hanghnly Dromenading the avenue in his
! tall. old fashioned plug hat. the other wad-
/ ding through the Capitol alses, or gruifiy
! asking the clerk, leaning forward from bis
elevated chair for the purpose). as 70 what
| would be a parliamentary ruling-both
heroes arise, liie-like, TO my vision.
| Then there was Sumner, entering the
Senate Chamber or addressing the sayans
in his deep. deliberate tones-tsll, athletic,
long naired aud arrogant Logan. Indian
ike, thrilling the House with his el0quenCe
| and often calling down laundering ap-
plause from the galleries. Butler, arguing
upon the floor in his then dogmatic and
laundering way Matt Carpenter. sweep
ing everything before him with the fire Of
bis wit and Orstory. Thad. Stevens, aged
and tottering, but stubbing about hsroically
Il
csstically giving vent TO MS radical views,
with two-thirds of the members gathered
about him. The last time heard the
great commoner.' he was brought in
TO the House on a sofa Noble,
patriotic Dick Yates, often hilarious, but
ever brilliant and level headed. F.. b
WashDurn. known as Grants keeper,
then leader of the House. Schuyler Co.fax
the bland" statesman, smiling down from
4 -
bis lower limbs. but decl2iming powerfully
from his seat Chief Justice Chase, a stall
vart, handsome man, presiding Ike a.
| English lord over the impeachment trial
| BeTerdy Johnson in the Senate, the wisesi
Constitutional lover the country had, bu
| physiologicslly the exact photograph Of th'
Jack OF spades. Lyman Trumbull. ever pro
found in argument pale and classical look
ing. and never falling 10 bit the right nsi
| on the head Horace Greeiy roliickins
| through the corridors. Henry Wilson
playing checkers with my honored father
IN. lar. Il have often beaten him, or pre-
siding iigninsdly over a thronged session
Of the Congressional Temperance Society
Grant then but generail. raoin-
bis troffers mp Est. or sauuterinl
shout Millsri's. lack Chandler. offer
seen numbering along dehsntiy through
Newspaper Row, and occasion ally on th'
l moor OF t0e fOuSe--fAlk tIAt ue Wa
giving Canada and the fyrsnts of the ole
World Hail Columbia. Fernando Wood
| with choxer and mustsche both white
ministerily p0ging about among the mem
bers. Robert ). Wslker. telling fairy tales
} aoou. Alaska in the lobbiss-round-sh0ul
dered, shsksy IN the lsgs. gold-headed cane
graspiDg. SpragGe the youngest. riches
and handsomest man in the Seuate--bi
dear Kate. the belle OF Washington. Johl
Norrissy, wish his s-arthy face and broke
nose, ever going "a 10 The rings and right
| OF bis classical New York constituency.
a On. but the galaxy vasa big and brililsn
one--aud they are ali dead. WITH a iew ex
cepti0ns John sherman and some other
are still above ground bat they run i'm
, ! wsut RISKS Of being buried 4
/ next Falls election And. besides
! forgot to mention Seward. Stanton, Fore
; Nspes aud other dead patriots an3 state
| men who were then looked upon as th
/ very pillars Of the government. They hav
? all gone to glory, snd. strange ss II ma
seeu ~ msnsgs 70 get along witbor
them. An entirely new brood rms th
roost that is. occupy sn1 boss the Cap
4 ! to-. snd they viii al 5e buried ani gartisll
forgotten n fsw years
This a. indeed. a world Of change an
! | evolution. A man hardly knows whetne
n he alive OF dead especially il he be
politician. But a few years and al OF &
7 vii b eleCted-oniy i vii be 10 st in "a
: Congress Of as1fker world. and ct "a boE
not IN the lower House